Overcoming Pain, Human Rights Activist Jang Hye-young Selected as TIME's 100 Most Influential People of the Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Jang Hye-young, a member of the Justice Party, was selected on the 17th (local time) as one of TIME magazine's "100 Next Rising Figures of the Year (TIME 100 NEXT 2021)." She is the only Korean to be chosen.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

TIME praised her for "helping her disabled younger sibling leave the institution and become independent (deinstitutionalization), producing documentaries, and working hard as a human rights activist," adding that "she is currently striving for the passage of the Anti-Discrimination Act in the National Assembly." On Facebook, Jang wrote, "Diversity is our strength, not discomfort or threat," and expressed her thoughts, saying, "Therefore, I fight for the enactment of the Anti-Discrimination Act for all, for deinstitutionalization of all people with disabilities, and for a better democracy."

Known by various titles such as human rights activist, documentary film director, SKY dropout, and progressive lawmaker born in 1987, she attracted attention with a post she made when she dropped out of Yonsei University's Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. After becoming a proportional representation member of the National Assembly, she publicly revealed that she was sexually harassed by the party leader, showing a firm stance against entrenched sexual violence. She has consistently advocated for the independence and care society of people with disabilities while caring for her younger sibling, who has a severe disability and is one year younger than her.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.